Credit: The Associated Press

William Penn Elementary School Council Representative Rev. Dr. Brian Henderson speaks at a news conference held by the Committee to Save North Lawndale Schools, Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Chicago.

CHICAGO — Tens of thousands of Chicago students, parents and teachers learned Thursday their schools were on a long-feared list of 54 the city plans to close in an effort to stabilize an educational system facing a huge budget shortfall.